Eugene bretney



(No Model.) E. BRETNEY.

GAS GENERATOR FOR ICE AND REFRIGERATING MACHINES.

Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

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NITED STATES" EUGENE BRETNEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAUS dc- BRE'INEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-GENERATOR FOR ICE AND REFRIGERATING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,168, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed November 19, 1892 Serial No. 452,507. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EUGENE BRETNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Gas-Generators for Ice and Refrigerating Machinesmf which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that portion of an apparatus for refrigeration and making ice known as the generator, wherein the ammonia-gas is generated or driven off from the liquid by means of heat. 7 V

It consists in an arrangement and construction of parts whereby this work is performed very efficiently and rapidly, and whereby a maximum of results is maintained with a minimum consumption of heat, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. r

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a top or plan view of that portion of the apparatus which embodies my said invention; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, a front or end elevation; Fig. a, a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, similar to portions of Fig. 2 Fig. 5, a detail horizontal sectional view on the dotted line in Fig. at; Fig. 6, a transverse sectional view on the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 4; Fig. '7, a vertical sectional view on the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 8 a detail view of the upper end of the stand-pipe, similar to a portion of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the large pipes through which the ammonia-liquor travels; B, steam-pipes passing through said large pipes, and C a standpipe containing a number of shallow trays suspended therein down which the liquor falls, dripping from pan to pan successively until it reaches the bottom of said standpipe, whence it runs off into the upper one of the pipes A. Said pipes A are of considerable diameter, are arranged horizontally, and are mounted in end pieces A, to which end pieces at one end inclosing caps formed of" the castings A and plates A are secured. To the upper one of said pipes, at one end, a bend A is secured, which unites the same with the stand-pipe C. To the other end of the structure from the parts A A castings A are secured to the end pieces A, which are of a somewhat different structure from the castings A and to these caps A are secured. Centrally through these caps the steam-pipes B pass, and they are united where they pass from one division to the other by bends which are connected to said caps in a manner embodying construction similar to that of ordinary stuffing-boxes.

The steam-pipes B may be one, two, or more in number, (two are shown,) and they enter the lower one of the large pipes A through its cap A, and run through said pipe A to the other end, and bend up around, as at b, and return through the pipe next above, terminating in the cap A thereto. or connection 13 unites this pipe at this point to the one still above it, and so on until the desired height is reached. NVhere two or more of these pipes B are employed they may be united to operate together by ordinary connections, as will be readily understood. The steam-pipes enter at the lowest point in the generator, where the ammonia-liquor is poorest, and pass through it, the heat from the steam being gradually absorbed by said liquor until said steam reaches the highest point, where the liquor is richest. Said liquor is thus treated by the action of the heat inversely to its strength, the steam-pipes being hottest Where the liquor is poorest and coolest where the liquor is richest, and this I have found gives superior results. The steampipes pass through the structure of the gen erator to the outside at only one. end, and thus there is avoided all the strain. which would otherwise come upon the structure by the expanding of the metal under the first action of the steam and the contraction of said metal as the structure is allowed to 0001. In other words, the pipes are permitted to on pand and contract without exerting any of the force resulting from such expansion and contraction upon the main structure of the generator, which, obviously, is a great advantage.

The ammonia-liquor is introduced through the stand-pipe C and drips down from pan to pan therein until it reaches the bottom. The structure of the stand-pipe and its contained The bend pans is not, however, peculiar to this invention. At the bottom the liquor runs=horizontally along the upper pipe A until it reaches the extreme upper end at this point. A dam a obstructs its passage and causes it to rise to a predetermined point, usually high enough to cover the steam-pipe therein. The dam does not, however, entirely out off the flow; but it is permitted to drip over said dam and fall to the next pipe of the series below it, and so on until it reaches the end, where it passes off through coils immersed in-cold water until.

it is cooled, when it reunites with the condensed gas from the absorber and returns to be used over again. The dams a over which the liquid flows are/higher along portions of their length than at'another portion or portions. center, as shown in Fig. 6.

I prefer to have them lowest in the This difference in height causes the liquor-to flow over 'for a limited portion of "their length only, leaving the sides free therefrom, and so the gas which 'is'generated by the action'of the heat 'isenabled to pass up at the sides or to such point as the construction calls for without passing through the falling liquid, and is thus less subject to absorption than would otherwise Aportion of the stand-pipe-O is also free from pans and falling liquid, and

the gas thus passes up said stand-pipe also comparatively free from contact therewith and from the topof said stand-pipe passes offto the condenser and-does its work.

Having thus-fully described my said'invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to-secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a-gasgencratoigof a series of pipes containing the liquor, dams at the lower or discharging endsof said pipes which 'hold'the liquor therein to a predetermined height, said dam being 'formed with a depression at one point through which the liquor will pass, whereby the remaining transverse space is left free for the passage of gas, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a gas generator, of an ammonia pipe A having a dam a, a depression in the central portion of said dam, and a projection extending out from under said depression forming a spout or sluice -way whereby the liquor is carried forward toward the end of the structure, substantially as shown and described. 7

3. The combination, in a gas generator, of a series of large pipes through which the ammonia liquor is intended to pass united alternately at the ends by heads containing chambers, and a series of steam pipes positioned within the ammonia liquor pipes into which they pass at one end, and united by return bends at theotherend inclosed within said chambers, beingthus connected to the structure at one end-only, whereby the strain upon saidstructure incident to expansion an d contraction of said steam pipes is avoided, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, in an ammonia gas generator, of the ammonia pipes A having end pieces A thereon, castings A secured to said end pieces and cap pieces A secured to said castings at oneend, castings A and capsv A secured thereto at the other end, steam pipes B passing within the ammonia liquor pipes and united by return bends, said return bends being at-oneend formed of castings B secured to the cap pieces A all be- EUGENE BRETNEY.

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH. 

